{"id":485,"date":"2025-09-04T11:37:22","date_gmt":"2025-09-04T11:37:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/storyblok-hub.itcurated.com\/?p=485"},"modified":"2025-09-09T14:40:18","modified_gmt":"2025-09-09T14:40:18","slug":"comparing-legacy-and-headless-cms-costs","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/itcurated.com\/storyblok-hub\/comparing-legacy-and-headless-cms-costs\/","title":{"rendered":"Comparing Legacy and Headless CMS Costs"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">INTRODUCTION<\/h2>\n\n\n\n\n    <div class=\"dark-banner mt-40 banner-color--black \">\n                <div class=\"dark-banner__body\">\n            <div class=\"dark-banner__content\">\n                <p>\u201cSpending money is much more difficult than making money\u201d<\/p>\n            <\/div>\n            <div class=\"dark-banner__link\">\n                <p>\u2013 Jack Ma<\/p>\n            <\/div>\n        <\/div>\n\n    <\/div>\n\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A Content Management System (CMS) is a major investment. In addition to the countless ways it can impact your content strategy, it can also impact your bottom line for years to come. And like with any other investment, making the right choice is dependent on having the right information.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"461\" height=\"274\" src=\"https:\/\/storyblok-hub.itcurated.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/pic-1-2.svg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-828\" style=\"width:461px\"\/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">According to the State of CMS 2024, 41% of legacy users said that they weren\u2019t using a headless CMS because the cost was too high. Headless\u2019s power is well known, but it seems to have gained a reputation for eyewatering prices.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But is that even true? Are headless systems really more expensive than legacy ones?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">We surveyed 43 companies with 5000+ employees to see what they paid for implementation, yearly maintenance, and training and support for their CMSs. The results speak for themselves: headless CMS pricing was cheaper across all categories compared to legacy systems. We\u2019ll break down the data and explore why headless offers such economic advantages.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Let\u2019s set the record straight.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Executive Summary<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1898\" height=\"1120\" src=\"https:\/\/storyblok-hub.itcurated.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/whole-table.webp\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-830\" srcset=\"https:\/\/storyblok-hub.itcurated.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/whole-table.webp 1898w, https:\/\/storyblok-hub.itcurated.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/whole-table-768x453.webp 768w, https:\/\/storyblok-hub.itcurated.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/whole-table-1536x906.webp 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1898px) 100vw, 1898px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Our sample comprised of:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>43 companies with 5,000+ employees each<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>20 legacy systems, 23 headless<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Across 43 companies with 5,000+ employees, those using headless systems spent an average of nearly $88,500 less than businesses with legacy systems on the total cost of CMS ownership.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This included all three major spending areas:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Implementation<\/strong>: Licensing fees, initial customization and integration, and infrastructure setup<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Yearly Maintenance: Scaling, software updates, and custom expansion plans<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Yearly Training &amp; Support: Onboarding and staff training, technical support, and ongoing education<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n\n    <div class=\"text-banner text-banner--bg-blue text-banner--padding-48\">\n        <div class=\"text-banner__body\">\n                            <div class=\"text-banner__title\">\n                    WORTH NOTING                <\/div>\n                        <div class=\"text-banner__content\">\n                <p>For our survey, legacy and headless were defined as the following:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Legacy<\/strong>: A legacy CMS (aka \u201ctraditional\u201d or \u201cmonolithic\u201d CMS) is an all-in-one solution that directly connects the front and back ends. Examples include WordPress, Adobe Experience Manager, Webflow, and Squarespace. This also includes in-house solutions.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Headless<\/strong>: A modular platform that decouples the front and back ends. This enables users to integrate separate components and services, creating a fully customized CMS tailored to their exact needs.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n            <\/div>\n        <\/div>\n\n    <\/div>\n\n\n\n\n    <div class=\"cover-table mt-72\">\n        <div class=\"cover-table__wrapper\"\n            style=\"background-color: #eef8ff;\">\n            <div class=\"cover-table__head\">\n                <p>PART 1:<\/p>\n                <h2>Implementation<\/h2>\n            <\/div>\n            <div class=\"cover-table__image\">\n                                    <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/storyblok-hub.itcurated.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/implementation.webp\" alt=\"table\">\n                            <\/div>\n            <div class=\"cover-table__content\">\n                <p><p>In this study, headless CMSs consistently achieved a lower cost of implementation than legacy systems. Those who embraced headless saved an average of $55,000 on implementation. Now that\u2019s what we call getting started on the right foot!<\/p>\n<\/p>\n            <\/div>\n        <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong><em>Factors Influencing Implementation Costs<\/em><\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"font-size:24px\"><strong>LICENSING FEES<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Legacy <\/strong>systems often advertise themselves as having every feature you could need. The part they don\u2019t tell you is that you get them \u2013 and pay for them \u2013 whether you want them or not. Basic CMS functionality is often bundled with extras that do little more than take up space in your system. They\u2019re also nearly always inseparable, so you can\u2019t even save cash by opting out of features you\u2019re not using. Perpetual licensing and on-premise hosting costs only rub salt in the wound.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Headless <\/strong>CMSs are designed to sidestep the entire circus completely by enabling best-of-breed selection. You can build your tech stack exactly how you want to. No paying for features you don\u2019t need, and no costly workarounds to achieve functionality your CMS doesn\u2019t already come bundled with. Just total control of your tech and your budget.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n        <div class=\"small-image-wrapper\">\n        <div class=\"small-image small-image--right\">\n                                <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/storyblok-hub.itcurated.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/licensing-fees.svg\" alt=\"image\">\n                    <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"font-size:24px\"><strong>CUSTOMIZATION &amp; INTEGRATION<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Legacy <\/strong>systems are customizable \u2013 assuming you have tons of time, plenty of resources, and a boatload of patience. Even minor changes require you to hack through a dense forest of complex, integrated codebases. You can thank the inflexible setup for that. This can increase development time and implementation costs. Even if you\u2019re willing to overinvest like that, proprietary legacy systems can still place strict limits on how your customizations can be implemented. That means you\u2019re still struggling with a workaround, and you\u2019re still overpaying for it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"light-blue-link-color wp-block-paragraph\">A <strong>headless <\/strong>CMS\u2019s decoupled front and backends eliminate those legacy struggles. This flexibility doesn\u2019t just give you the freedom of choice; it can save you cold hard cash, too. One way is through <a href=\"https:\/\/www.storyblok.com\/mp\/packaged-business-capabilities\">Packaged Business Capabilities (PBCs)<\/a>. These prebuilt components can give you the benefits of bundling without the limitations. And if you prefer a fully best-of-breed approach, you can fully embrace it without the costs of circumventing rigid architecture. No matter which approach suits you best, you\u2019re free to customize your CMS more efficiently and at a lower cost.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"font-size:24px\"><strong>INFRASTRUCTURE SETUP<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Most <strong>legacy <\/strong>systems require you to engage with on-premise or managed hosting infrastructure to host the entire platform. This can rack up charges for hardware costs, cloud provisioning, server configurations, and more. Oh, and they\u2019ll need to be robust enough to support the whole platform, which can balloon your infrastructure setup costs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But <strong>headless <\/strong>CMSs tend to sidestep that entirely. Since they\u2019re usually run as SaaSnative solutions in the cloud, you\u2019re looking at fewer infrastructure costs. Front-end experiences can also be deployed on modern PaaS (Platform as a Service) solutions such as Netlify and Vercel. The result? Increased efficiency, decreased operational costs, and a more affordable scaling process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n        <div class=\"text-border text-link-color--purple text-border--yes text-border--bg-no \">\n        <div class=\"text-border__body\">\n            <div class=\"text-border__title\">\n                                    <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/storyblok-hub.itcurated.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/looking-to-lower-your-implementation-costs.svg\" alt=\"text-border\">\n                                <p>LOOKING TO LOWER YOUR IMPLEMENTATION COSTS?<\/p>\n            <\/div>\n            <div class=\"text-border__content\">\n                <p>Working with an AWS Marketplace Channel Partner can help you save both time and money:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"text-align: left\">Receive customized pricing, contract terms, and payment schedules for third-party software purchases with Channel Partner Private Offers (CPPO). CPPO purchases can even apply towards your spend commitments!<\/li>\n<li>Find and buy complete end-to-end solutions by purchasing third-party software and professional services in AWS Marketplace.<\/li>\n<li>Reduce time and resources spent reviewing contracts with Standardized Contracts for AWS Marketplace.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Learn more about how you can save with AWS and Storyblok.<\/p>\n            <\/div>\n        <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n\n\n\n\n\n    <div class=\"cover-table \">\n        <div class=\"cover-table__wrapper\"\n            style=\"background-color: #eef8ff;\">\n            <div class=\"cover-table__head\">\n                <p>PART 2:<\/p>\n                <h2>Yearly Maintenance Cost<\/h2>\n            <\/div>\n            <div class=\"cover-table__image\">\n                                    <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/storyblok-hub.itcurated.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/yearly-maintenance-cost.webp\" alt=\"table\">\n                            <\/div>\n            <div class=\"cover-table__content\">\n                <p><p>Our research shows that composable systems are more cost-efficient for enterprise organizations <strong>by an average of nearly $20,000.<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/p>\n            <\/div>\n        <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" style=\"font-style:normal;font-weight:600\"><strong><em>Factors Influencing Yearly Maintenance Costs<\/em><\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<h6 class=\"wp-block-heading\" style=\"font-size:24px\">SCALLING<\/h6>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Legacy <\/strong>systems were never designed to scale in the modern world. Because all components are tightly integrated and share the same infrastructure resources, scaling one part of the system usually requires scaling the entire platform \u2013 even parts that don\u2019t need to grow. You end up overpaying any time you try to expand, dealing with inefficient resource utilization and higher costs. As your organization scales, so do these unnecessary charges.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But <strong>headless <\/strong>systems aren\u2019t all-ornothing. Since each component exists independently, they can be scaled independently too. That means you\u2019re in full control of your growth strategy, and only need to pay for what you need. As a bonus, these components are often hosted on cloud services, so you also get the benefits of being able to adjust resource location in real time for efficient spending.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n        <div class=\"small-image-wrapper\">\n        <div class=\"small-image small-image--right\">\n                                <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/storyblok-hub.itcurated.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/pic-3-1.svg\" alt=\"image\">\n                    <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n<h5 class=\"wp-block-heading\" style=\"font-size:24px\"><strong>SOFTWARE UPDATES<\/strong><\/h5>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Similar to those found in implementation costs, using a <strong>legacy <\/strong>CMS means dealing with all-important periodic software updates. Doesn\u2019t matter if you need any of the new features or not \u2013 bug fixes are often bundled with new features, so you\u2019ll need to opt in for security\u2019s sake. If you\u2019re staring down the barrel of a larger software update, you might want to brace for an equally large price jump to follow.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">On the other hand, <strong>headless <\/strong>CMSs are usually SaaS solutions and come with automatic updates. This means the SaaS vendor is responsible for rolling out those updates, so you can sit back and relax. While there is the possibility of PBCs or integrated programs having software update costs to contend with, you\u2019ll never be locked into them. Swap them out with your favorite alternative and you\u2019re good to go.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h5 class=\"wp-block-heading\" style=\"font-size:24px\"><strong>CUSTOM EXPANSION<\/strong><\/h5>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Just like we saw in the implementation stage, customizing a <strong>legacy <\/strong>CMS is challenging and expensive. As new needs emerge, adapting to them is more costly and time-consuming \u2013 if rigid templates and bloated code let you customize in the first place. Not only will you pay dearly for any bespoke features, but you may also see a dip in revenue if it extends your time to market.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The opposite is true for <strong>headless <\/strong>systems. Quicker, easier adaption of new technologies means less time and money spent on growth. Headless\u2019s unrivaled agility also means you could be looking at a faster time to market, better capitalization on business opportunities, and a Return on investment (ROI) that makes everyone happy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n    <div class=\"cover-table \">\n        <div class=\"cover-table__wrapper\"\n            style=\"background-color: #eef8ff;\">\n            <div class=\"cover-table__head\">\n                <p>PART 3:<\/p>\n                <h2>Yearly Training &#038; Support Cost<\/h2>\n            <\/div>\n            <div class=\"cover-table__image\">\n                                    <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/storyblok-hub.itcurated.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/yearly-training-_-support-cost.webp\" alt=\"table\">\n                            <\/div>\n            <div class=\"cover-table__content\">\n                <p><p>On average, headless costs for yearly training and support were lower than monolithic costs. <strong>This was a difference of over $13,200.<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/p>\n            <\/div>\n        <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Factors Influencing Yearly Training &amp; Support Costs<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<h6 class=\"wp-block-heading\" style=\"font-size:24px\">ONBOARDING &amp; STAFF TRAINING<\/h6>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Legacy <\/strong>systems being all-in-one might seem like they\u2019d be simple to operate. However, the opposite is often true: because everything operates in one unit, your users will need to understand every part of the system just to interact with it. This can lead to pricey additional training courses and lost working hours just to get a baseline of familiarity going.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But with <strong>headless<\/strong>, you can take a far more targeted approach. You only need to train for the components that you\u2019ll interact with. If you\u2019re a content editor, for example, you won\u2019t need to learn how to use the database, sales programs, or technical back end just to make simple changes. This allows for efficient use of training budgets \u2013 not to mention saving hours of valuable time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n        <div class=\"small-image-wrapper\">\n        <div class=\"small-image small-image--right\">\n                                <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/storyblok-hub.itcurated.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/pic-4-1.svg\" alt=\"image\">\n                    <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n<h5 class=\"wp-block-heading\" style=\"font-size:24px\"><strong>TECHNICAL SUPPORT<\/strong><\/h5>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Support costs for <strong>legacy <\/strong>systems are usually bundled into the contract. This convenience comes with a dark side: options are typically inflexible, so you could end up paying for support that you\u2019ll never even use.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If you have a <strong>headless <\/strong>CMS, you can pick and choose support contracts for each component. You can save a lot of cash this way, especially if you have someone in-house who understands the tech and doesn\u2019t need support options.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h5 class=\"wp-block-heading\" style=\"font-size:24px\"><strong>ONGOING EDUCATION<\/strong><\/h5>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Ongoing <strong>legacy <\/strong>education often looks like your team attending vendor-specific courses and certification programs. As the name implies, they\u2019re often available only from the vendor themselves and can be costly or time-consuming. If you want your team to remain proficient with your content engine, it\u2019s something you\u2019ll just need to live with.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">With a <strong>headless <\/strong>CMS, you can target ongoing education to specific components or teams only. This can lead to fewer training hours and thus a lower cost. And if you\u2019re not happy with ongoing education prices? You\u2019re in full control. Just swap to a more affordable alternative and you\u2019re good to go.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n    <div class=\"dark-banner mt-65 banner-color--black \">\n                    <div class=\"dark-banner__title-wrap\">\n                <div class=\"dark-banner__title\">\n                    Conclusion                <\/div>\n                            <\/div>\n                <div class=\"dark-banner__body\">\n            <div class=\"dark-banner__content\">\n                <p>Should you find yourself in a chronically leaking boat, energy devoted to changing vessels is likely to be more productive than energy devoted to patching leaks.<\/p>\n            <\/div>\n            <div class=\"dark-banner__link\">\n                <p>\u2013 Warren Buffet<\/p>\n            <\/div>\n        <\/div>\n\n    <\/div>\n\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Legacy CMSs have their perks. Setup can be simple, and the limited features might not be roadblocks for small businesses. But despite what you may have heard, \u201csimple\u201d does not mean cheap. Users contend with ongoing operational costs like licensing fees, infrastructure maintenance, and vendor lock-in \u2013 all while struggling with a limited ability to customize their systems.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">That\u2019s where headless comes in.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Thanks to an innately modular architecture, you\u2019re in full control of your tech \u2013 and as a result, it\u2019s cost. You\u2019re free to integrate best-of-breed services that meet your exact needs, not a generic all-in-one package that doesn\u2019t. Not only does this flexibility unlock the freedom to respond to market changes with agility, but it also skips the overhead associated with maintaining and upgrading a rigid legacy system.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Headless systems still require a financial investment. But our data shows that it is far below what is required by a legacy framework \u2013 specifically, $88,500 less on average. If you\u2019re ready to embrace a flexible, future-forward content strategy that\u2019s worth the investment, go headless. Your team \u2013 and your wallet \u2013 will thank you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>About Storyblok<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Storyblok is the headless CMS for marketers and developers who want to make bigger, faster market impact.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Developers thrive with the freedom to build better, faster, more flexible content experiences using their chosen tech stack. Marketers move with agility and independence, effortlessly editing, personalizing, and publishing content across every channel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">And customers? The seamless content experiences keep them engaged, delighted, and coming back for more.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Think headless is too expensive? Think again. Legacy users often assume that headless means high prices and exceeded budgets. Storyblok\u2019s latest analysis tells a different story. Spoiler: the numbers might surprise you.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":481,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[10],"tags":[16],"class_list":["post-485","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-future-proofing-your-cms","tag-report"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.6 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Comparing Legacy and Headless CMS Costs - Storyblok<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"noindex, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Comparing Legacy and Headless CMS Costs - Storyblok\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Think headless is too expensive? 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